Academics
The Punahou Journey
Junior School

Grade 2

As students leave their familiar K – 1 classmates, teachers and neighborhood, the move to second grade is a transition to a larger world. Students join their new teacher in the Kosasa Grades 2 – 5 Community, with a new classroom mix that typically includes at least a few of their first grade classroom group.
In second grade, students are encouraged to become independent learners and discover what they are capable of academically and socially in a safe and kind environment. Teachers provide diverse opportunities for learning content, while fostering critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students develop into flexible learners who embrace success, show resilience in the face of challenge, and demonstrate care and empathy for their communities.

The curriculum centers around interdependence, with experiential learning around island systems, the origins of Hawai’i’s immigrants and a variety of cultures, with a particular focus on Japan. Core components also include PE, outdoor education, design thinking and engineering, music and art, as well as Japanese language, a once-per-cycle chapel and Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEEL) curriculum that works toward building empathy, collaborative skills, and an understanding of how the students fit together as a community. Students continue to develop their skills with iPads and begin to learn basic coding.
 
In December, second graders put on a holiday music and drama program, a multicultural celebration of Christmastime in Hawai’i; and all students perform in Punahou’s schoolwide May Day celebration.
 
Back
©2022 Punahou School. All Rights Reserved